Mark 7:31-33

Verse 31. Departing from the coasts. The country, or regions of Tyre.

Came unto the sea of Galilee. The sea of Tiberias.

Decapolis. See Mt 4:25. He did not go immediately into Capernaum, or any city where he was known, but into the retired regions around the sea of Galilee. This was done to avoid the designs of the Pharisees who sought his life.

(e) "And again" Mt 15:29 Verse 32. They bring. That is, his friends brought, or the people brought.

One that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech. Not entirely dumb, but who spoke indistinctly or with difficulty. His deafness might not have been of long standing; and his speech, therefore, not entirely ruined.

To put his hand upon him. That is, to cure him. Blessings were commonly imparted by laying on the hands. Verse 33. And he took him aside from the multitude. Why this was done we have no means of information. It might have been to conceal from the multitude everything respecting the manner of cure, in order that none might attempt to cure in a similar way.

And put his fingers into his ears, etc. Why this was done it has been found exceedingly difficult to explain. Our Lord had power at once to open his ears and loose his tongue, but for some cause he chose to accompany it with a sign. It was intended, probably, simply as a sign that the power of healing came from Jesus; to satisfy the man by the touch that he had this power, and that it could come from no other quarter. Our Saviour often used signs in this way to denote his power to heal. See Mk 8:23, Jn 9:6.

(f) "and he spit" Mk 8:23, Jn 9:6

Luke 9:22

Verse 22.

(r) "The Son of man" Mt 16:21, 17:22
Copyright information for Barnes